Switch-frog.



J. B. YARNELL.

SWITCH FROG APPLICATION FILED APR.20, I917.

Patented Feb. 5 1918.

WrrNgss INVENTOR 1. B. YARNELL.

SWITCH FROG.

APPLICATION FILED APR.20. 1917.

' Patented Feb. 5, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' INVENTOR wmwflal arwfik ATTo R N EY s rarns ratrnn'r ora ion;

21' OHN B. YARNELL, OF JOHNSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

SWITCH-FROG.

Application filed April 20, 1917.

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that 1, JOHN B. YARNELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Johnstown, in the county of Cambria and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Switch-Frogs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to railway construction.

In carrying out my invention it is my purpose to arrange between the frog point and the guard rails therefor means, comprising bearing elements designed to receive the rims of the wheels of the rolling stock to protect the frog point from contact with the said wheels as well as to provide a bearing surface for the treads of the wheels at the gap between the rails and the frog point.

It is a still further object of the invention to arrange upon the opposite sides of a frog, pivoted members or wing rails having means therebetween whereby, when one of the said wing rails is depressed by the weight of the wheels of the rolling stock thereon, the other wing rail will be sustained flush with the heads of the track rails and the frog to provide a support for the wheels of the rolling stock over the gap between the track rails and the frog and also to protect the frog point from injury by contact with the wheels of the rolling stock.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a means for protecting a frog point from contact with the wheels of rolling stock as well as to bridge the gap between the track rails and the frog point for the even travel of the said wheels, which shall be automatically operated by the wheels of the said rolling stock.

WVith the above and other objects in view the improvement resides in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts set forth in-the following specification and falling within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating the improvement,

Fig. 2 is a sectional view approximately on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view approximately on the line 33 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a sectional view approximately on the line H of Fig. 1,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 5, 1918.

Serial No. 163,508.

Fig. 5 is asectional view approximately similar to Fig. 3, but illustrating a modificatlon, and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view approximately on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

-While in the accompanying drawings 1 have illustrated the improvement in connection with the rails and frog of an ordinary track for a steam railway line, it is to be understood that the device is equally applicable upon electric lines, city traliic, in mines, or in any other desired railway systems in which it has been found desirable or essential to protect the point of the frog and to provide a bearing surface at the gaps between the frog points and the rails of the system.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the main line is indicated by the character M and the switch line or siding by the character S, the frog between the rails of the main line and siding by the numeral 10, and the guard rails of the frog by the numerals 11.

As illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings 1 have pivotally secured, as at 12, to ties, approximately equi-distantly spaced from the point of the frog 10, the outer rounded ends of contact members or plates 13, the same being supported upon wear plates 1% that have one of their edges formed with upstanding flanges 15 that are cut away at their corners nearest the outer rail of the siding S, which are notched longitudinally, as at 16, from their said cut away portions, and the plates 13 rest upon the lower walls provided by the said cut away portions and the said notches 16, the overhanging lips provided by the notches holding the plates 13 against vertical movement, while the depth of the notches permits of a lateral movement of the said plates outward of the rail of the siding S. The outer rail of the siding is indicated for distinction by the numeral 17, and the plates 13 are normally forced into contacting engagement with the inner side of the head of the said rail through the medium of a spring 18 which surrounds a rod 19 and exerts a pressure between a bracket member 20 and a yoke 21 upon the end of the said rod 19, the arms of the yoke being pivotally secured, as at 22, to the respective plates 13.

When the construction is arranged upon ties, as illustrated in the drawings, I secure 29 terminate at the junctureof the frog rails 11 with the main rails, of which they form extensions and at the point of the frog 10, so that the said terminals of the said wing rails are arranged at aniangle, as indicated by the numerals'30, and the angular'ends 30 are normally arranged in a line flush with the sides of the frog 10 of the sides of the main rails connected with the guard rails 11 for the frog, which main rails, for distinction, are designated by'the characters 31 and 32 respectively. The upper or outer portions of the terminals 30 of the guard rails 29, as stated, are arranged in a line: with the sides of the point 10 and the said rails 31 and 32, but the said ends or terminals 30 are flared or inclined downwardly and to ward each other as indicated by the numerals 33, so that the ends of the guard rails may contact at their lower portions if desired and the upper edges or corners 30 of the ends of the said wing rails may be slightly dished or concaved, as indicated by the numerals 34, and these dished corners are designed to overcome any sudden shock or jar inflicted to the wing rails by the wheels of the rolling stock. By having the lower portions of the wing rails, at the ends 30*thereof contacting, this portion of the structure is protected from the entrance of dirt or cinders, and to retain one of said wing members flush with the heads or tread surfaces of the rails 31 or 32 and the frog 10, the said inner ends of the wing rails have their lower portions provided with eX tending lips 35 which underlie and contact with a connecting member or plate 36 arranged between the rails 31 and 32 at their juncture with the frog guard rails 11, the

said plate 36 also reinforcing and bracing the said rails 31 and 32.

By reference to Fig. 3 of the drawings, it will be noted that the pivoted ends of the wing rails are disposed below the tread surfaces of the frog 10, and to arrange the ends of the said wing rails flush with the.

outer end or point of the said tread surface of the frog and also flush with the tread surface of the rails 31 and 32, I pivotally secure in suitable depressions or pockets 37, as at 38, -in the underfaces of the members or rails 29, the offset portions or ears 39 of a supporting member 40. The member 40 is substantially heart-shaped (see Fig. 4') and the lower and rounded end thereof is at all times received in one of two communicating depressions 41 and 42 respectively in the plate 23. The supporting or actuating member 40 is pivotally connected, as at 43, to the end of the rod 19, the said rod passing through a suitable slot or opening 44 in one of the guard rails 11.

\Vhen the contact plates 13 are in their normal position; that is, engaging with the outer rail 17 of the siding S, the member 40 will have its lower rounded end received in the depression or pocket 42, whereby'to elevate the end of the wing rail that bridges the gap between the main rail 31 and the frog point 10, and in this connection it shouldbe stated that the rai1 31 provides one of the rails of the main line. Should,- however, the switch be thrown to open the side line the flanges or rims of the wheels of the rolling stock will enter between the contact plates 13 and the sidingrailsli, moving the rod 19 longitudinally and swinging the member 14 to bring the lower roundedend thereof out of the pocket '41 and into the pocket 42, which elevates the end of the second wing rail to close "the gap between the rail 32 and the side of the frog point 10 with which it alines. This position is retained by the referred to wing rail until after the last wheel of the train passes the members 13, regardless of the direction in which the train is traveling, after which the spring 18 4 will exert its influence to swing the member 40 to again position the lower end thereof in the pocket 41 and consequently elevate the first referred to wing rail and so normally close the gap between the frog point and the main line rail 31. r

In Figs. 5 and 6 the construction in the main, is substantially similar to that previously described, but the contact members 13' and their connection with the actuating element for the wing rails is entirely dispensed with. The wing rails, indicated by the characters 47 and 48 are, pivotally secured,

at one of their ends, upon a plate 49 that supports the frog, the pivoted ends of the said rails 47 and 48 being below the tread surface of the guard rails and'frog, but their outer and beveled ends are normally sustained flush with the head of the frog point and the rails of the track in register therewith through the mediumof springs 50, the

upward movement of the said wing rails be ing limited by lip members provided thereon, and indicated by the characters 51, con-,

tacting with a brace plate 52 between the V is provided with a central slot or depression 56, and the lower rounded edge of the member 53 is centrally provided with a substantially V-shaped depression 57, and this depression is adapted to engage with one of the shoulders 58 or 59 provided by the end walls of the depression or slot 56 in accordance with the particular wing rail to be elevated and the particular wing rail to be lowered.

As stated the wing rails a7 and 48 are influenced by the springs 50 so that the ends of the same, adjacent the point of the frog have their upper surfaces flush with the upper surface of the said frog point and the guard rails to the opposite sides of the frog point, and consequently the lower notched edge of the member 53 is normally disposed approximately centrally of the slot or opening 56. A train passing over the frog, and traveling in either direction over the main line or from the main line to the siding will have its rim engaged with one of the wing rails 47 or 48, and consequently depress the said rail, which, through its pivotal connection with the member 53 will swing or turn the said member 53 so that the notch 57 thereof will engage with one of the shoulders 58 or 59, to support the wing rail, not engaged by the rim of the wheel, in a firm manner to provide an effective bearing for the tread of the wheels of the rolling stock. i

From the above description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the simplicity of the device, as well as the advantages thereof will, it is thought, be perfectly apparent to those skilled in the art to which such invention appertains without further detailed description.

It is to be understood, however, that I reserve the right to use plates connected pivotally to the wing rails instead of the heartshaped member 40, should it be found desirable.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination with a frog, of pivoted wing rails disposed to the opposite sides of the frog, means for limiting the swinging movement of the wing rails in an upward direction, whereby the same cannot be elevated above the tread surface of the frog point, an element pivotally secured to each of the wing rails and arranged whereby to support one of the wing rails in its elevated position when the other wing rail is depressed.

2. In combination with a railway frog, of wing rails having one of their ends pivotally secured to the opposite sides of the said frog, and the pivoted ends of the said rails being disposed below the tread surface of the frog, an element having oifset portions pivotally connected to each of said wing rails and resting below said rails and designed for rotation to bring the same to a supporting position with respect to one wing rail when the other wing rail is de pressed.

3. In combination with the main and siding lines of a railway track, a frog between said lines and guard rails for said frog, of wing rails pivotally secured at one of their ends between the sides of the frog and guard rails and disposed below said frog and guard rail, said wing rails having their ends angular and terminating in a line with the sides of the frog and the angular main rails alining with the frog, a brace plate between the main rails, lips upon the wing rails normally underlying said brace, a heart-shaped member having its lobes pivotally secured to the respective wing rails and resting upon a support and susceptible to a rocking movement upon the said support, whereby to provide a brace between one of the wing rails and the support to retain the wing rail elevated when the other wing rail is depressed.

a. In combination with a frog, guard rails upon the sides of the frog and main rails providing continuations of the guard rails, and a spacing plate between the said main rails, of a slotted plate underlying the said frog and rails and having upstanding ears between the frog and guard rails, of wing rails pivotally secured to said ears and having their opposite ends cut to aline with the sides of the frog point and the main rails adjacent to the frog point, and their said ends at their upper corners dished and provided with lips which underlie the connect ing plate within the main rails whereby to limit the outward swinging movement of said wing rails beyond the tread surfaces of the main rails and frog, the pivoted ends of the wing rails being disposed below the tread surfaces of the frog and guard rails, spring actuated means for normally retaining the outer ends of the guard rails flush with the tread surfaces of the main rails and including a supporting element pivotally connected to the respective wing rails and resting upon the plate and designed forll 5 movement with respect to the said plate whereby to provide a positive support for one of the wing rails when the other wing rail is depressed.

5. In a means for closing the gaps between line rails and a frog point and for supporting the wheels of a rolling stock traveling over said gap, including a plate disposed below the frog, wing rails pivotally secured to said plate below the frog and arranged at the opposite sides of the frog and having their ends terminating at the gaps and in a line with the sides of the frog and rails, means for limiting the outward swinging of the wing rails whereby to arrange the same flush with the tread surfaces of the line mils and frog point, means for nornmlly retaining one or both of said Wing rails in such position, a heart-shaped element having its lobes pivotally connected with the respective Wing rails and resting upon the plate, and means between said element and said plate whereby to normally retain the element in position to support one of the ing rails when the other wing rail is depressed.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

JOHN B. YARNELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

- Washington, D. G. 

